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HEIGHT: 5’11”
WEIGHT: 197 lbs
40 YD DASH (NFL Combine): 4.54 s
VERTICAL (NFL Combine): 33.5”
Xavier Woods was a four year starter at safety for Louisiana Tech. In 2016, he was a team captain holding down the fort after every other starting defensive back graduated. After four solid years of contribution to the Dawgs, Xavier Woods will try to take his skills to the next level as he was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys with the 7th pick of the 6th round (191st overall).
Woods is the first La Tech player ever drafted by the Cowboys. He joins a pretty well oiled machine led by another Louisiana native in Dak Prescott. The Cowboys are one of the most successful franchises in the NFL historically, and had a fantastic season in 2016. However, they couldn’t make a run in the playoffs, something Jerry Jones is surely ready to remedy. Perhaps Woods can be a part of that equation.
Woods is a hard-hitting, ball hawking safety. Despite his small size, he can lower the boom, as he showed against both receivers and even quarterbacks. If the ball comes his way, he wants it. He has 14 career interceptions. He’s been a big play maker for four years. I mean, just look at this from his sophomore year...
He’s got a few fundamental things to work on, but he has the potential to be a solid contributor at the next level.
Woods is the 3rd Bulldog taken in 2017, following Carlos Henderson (Broncos) and Trent Taylor (49ers). He is the 7th Bulldog to go in the 6th round historically, with the most recent examples being QB Jeff Driskel last year and LB IK Enemkpali in 2014. He is the 9th Tech DB to be drafted. Two of his predecessors have a combined three Super Bowl titles.
In Woods’ senior year, he and Tech fans alike were known for “throwing up the X” every time “X” Woods made a play. Now he joins the Cowboys, where a certain other player is known for the same thing. Perhaps the Cowboys will be an X-factor in the coming years.